1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of push-drive chains, which are different from pull-drive chains as are known in the prior art, insofar as push-drive chains are not subject to elongation due to wearing of parts when such chains are used for power transmission or power transfer.
2. Prior Art
Typical pull-drive chains as are known in the prior art, as for example roller chains and the like, are generally used to transmit or transfer power by a pulling operation. Such pull-drive chains are especially subject to wear over time, particularly at the connection points of constituent parts of such chains.
Push-drive chains, on the other hand, are available for continuously variable transmission chains, often referred to as CVT chains. A typical example is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6783/1980, wherein a chain formed by a plurality of connected blocks operates in such a fashion that each block pushes an adjacent block, rather than pulling an adjacent block. Despite the general advantage of push-drive chains noted above, the CVT chains disclosed in the noted Janpanese patent publication are of seriously deficient design, in that the blocks are subject to unsteady movement and buckling, each of the blocks having flat or plate-like engagement surfaces. Moreover, the tendency of such block elements to be displaced relative to one another and/or buckle during movement places excessive loads on, and causes excessive wear of the connection means, frequently connecting or link pins.